The Best Laid Plans
by BlameItOnTheNaquadah
Summary: The best laid plans of Dr Daniel Jackson never go as anticipated. But we all know that by now, don't we?
1. The BBQ and Everything That Ensued

**Disclaimer. I don't own Stargate, or SG-1. If I did, there would have been several block buster feature films made by now, and Daniel and Vala _would_ have had their happy ending! As it is, all I can do is play with the beautiful SG-1 dolls before putting them away safely again.**

**Setting - after Unending, after Ark of Truth and after Continuum. In other words, after everything. Therefore, no rules!**

**Probably set after 'The Kelownan Incident' (one of my previous fics) but not necessary to read that first. As long as you're happy to go along with an established Daniel/Vala relationship, that is!**

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**Chapter 1 The BBQ, And All That Ensued.**

"Are you sure that this is fun?" Vala asked, doubtfully.

Looking down at her best friend who sat on the wooden steps that led into Lieutenant Well's back garden, Sam smiled. "Sure! Well, it's fun for the kids, anyway. And it's only once a year."

"But didn't we do something like this at Easter?" Vala surveyed the melee of excitable SGC staff surrounding them. "At the play barn in town? And last Christmas at the mountain? We definitely did something at the mountain – Landry played Santa. He was a very cross Santa, in my opinion. Even Daniel would have been better. Even _I _would have been better!"

Sam gave a shout of laughter. "I meant that the summer barbeque is only once a year! All the families who work at the SGC meet up three times a year for a great big get together. It's been going on for years. We're like a family, you know that." She sat down next to her friend.

"So…..remind me again why _we're_ here? When none of us have children?"

The Colonel grinned. "_Everyone_ is here! Kids or no kids. It's an excuse for everyone to get together. Even people who no longer work at the mountain, necessarily."

Sam's gaze wandered to a certain silver-haired General, who was laughing with Daniel and Mitchell, and knocking back a Guinness far too quickly for her liking. "Will you excuse me for a minute?" She stood and moved away in the direction of Jack, eyes narrowing.

Vala sighed. She liked children well enough, but the one's here on earth always seemed to be sticky, or dirty, or soggy. They cried an awful lot too and were very loud when they did so. Perhaps it's me, she thought, they sense I'm an alien and they don't like me.

A small one wandered past, chasing a swiftly moving cat. It tripped and fell face down into the grass, the child not the cat. It didn't cry, although it screwed it's little face up for a moment.

"Let me," said Vala, gingerly taking the toddler's grubby hands with her finger tips and helping it to it's feet. It babbled something peculiar in a language which she didn't understand and lifted it's chubby arms up to be held. She paused, wrinkling her nose. It started to make a whining sound and bounced on it's podgy legs.

"Oh alright," Vala lifted it and held it against herself. It wasn't that bad actually, she thought. She recognised the oddly smelling bundle as belonging to Simon Wells – a cute little boy who looked like his father. He garbled his funny language at her again and handed her an old stick.

"Thank you," Vala smiled, taking it and sticking it into the back pocket of her jeans.

Master Wells smiled then sneezed.

"Oooooh!" Vala screwed her face up and looked around for a tissue. A long table close by that was being used as a makeshift bar had a pile of napkins on it – she grabbed one and wiped his little nose. He grinned and sneezed again. She frowned and repeated the maneuver, handing him the napkin.

"Danny do it," Vala told him. She thought that his name was Danny, or it might have been Dennis. Or David. Something with a 'D'.

He beamed and rubbed his nose with the tissue before sneezing again.

"I'm going to have to put you down you know," Vala said, and did so, wiping her own sneezed-on face and hands quickly. DannyDennisDavid's face fell and he began to wail until she swung him back up into her arms.

"Come on," she smiled, "let's find your parents."

Vala wandered off across the grass, only half-looking for the little chap's Mum and Dad. The other half of her was just watching and taking in all the strange Tau'ri customs that were going on.

There was a bouncy castle – she wasn't sure that Teal'c should be on there, although he did appear to be sitting down. And covered in children. A huge, sparkly pink cardboard cut-out princess castle stood next door, with an opening door and windows. There was a small petting zoo in one corner, with rabbits and guinea pigs and a pony giving rides. Across the garden was a face painting booth – Carolyn Lam was busy turning boys into Spiderman and girls into fairies, and vice-versa. One of the female lieutenants was painting sparkles onto little nails at the adjacent table.

"Would you like your nails painted?"Vala asked DannyDennisDavid, who gabbled something and patted her cheek with his moist palm. She smiled at him – he was rather cute. Perhaps Tau'ri children did like her after all. "Come on – you'd look good with electric blue finger tips!" She went over to the nail booth slowly, and stood in the queue behind a Princess Jasmine and a fireman.

Daniel Jackson was watching her from across the garden, his beer forgotten in his hand. She looked beautiful – he was so proud of her. Watching her hold Wells' little boy close against her body was making him feel peculiar. Nice, but peculiar. It was making him think of how wonderful she would look holding her own little bundle in her arms. _Their_ own little bundle. He shook his head abruptly, trying to clear his mind of the extremely pleasant but also rather shocking vision. Mitchell, Jack and Sam all burst out laughing at some joke which he'd completely missed. He joined in quickly, hoping that none of them asked him what he was laughing at. Trying to get back into their conversation he found that he kept surreptitiously glancing over at Vala – she was seated at the nail bar now, chatting and smiling at Lizzy Keene, the female lieutenant who was helping out there. Oh Lord, was she going to get baby Wells' nails painted? Daniel was sure that their youngest was a boy.

"Excuse me," he said, distracted, handing Jack his beer and high-tailing it off across the garden.

Jack said nothing but winked at Sam who giggled.

"Hey!" the archaeologist reached his girlfriend's side just in time. Vala looked up and smiled, luminous blue/grey eyes crinkling.

"Hello darling," She settled the podgy, soggy toddler on her knee. "DannyDennisDavid wants his nails done – I think electric blue, do you agree?"

"Firstly – boys tend not to have painted nails," Daniel carefully lifted the small boy away from Vala's grasp. "And it's Damien."

"Who's Damien? Oh, _he's_ Damien! I knew it started with a D. Damien – cute name. He's a dear little chap actually – er, you mean, I shouldn't let him have his nails painted? He did seem to want them done."

Daniel grinned. "Well, why don't you get yours' done instead?"

"Ooooh!" Vala clapped her hands. "Is that allowed, Lizzy? Can I have my nails done too?"

"Sure," Lizzy wiped her hands on a towel. "Which colour would you like?"

"Pink please," beamed the alien. She pointed to a vivid fuchsia coloured bottle. "That one please."

"There he is!" Marci Wells came across the grass to them, looking relieved. "I've been looking for you everywhere." She wagged her finger at her errant little son, who waved and laughed, totally unconcerned.

"Here," Daniel went to hand him over but the little boy wailed suddenly, leaning over towards Vala.

"Oh, goodbye!" she said to him, waving prettily with her free hand. "It was nice to meet you too."

Marci took her son and held him towards Vala.

"Say thank you to Auntie Vala for looking after you," she told him. The toddler patted his new friend's cheeks with his grubby paws and gave the alien a wet kiss, smack on her lips.

"Lovely," Vala told him, wiping it off.

Thanking them again, Marci made her way back to the house. Daniel pulled a chair up next to his girlfriend.

Vala tilted her head to one side, eyeing him speculatively. "Do you want your nails done, Daniel?" she asked, cajoling.

"No I do not!" he folded his arms so as not to give her ideas.

She pouted, but only in jest, and laid her un-painted hand on his leg.

Daniel slipped his arm around her shoulders and they sat chatting about everything and nothing with Lizzy Keene for the next half hour or so.

- o - o - o -

It was evening before the SGC family barbeque wrapped up. The twilight sky was a deep blue and the night was clear. Stars were scattered across the sky above them, like so many sequins sewn onto a velvet cloth. Vala was sat on the back steps again, looking up at the sky, when Daniel found her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he said, perching next to her. She smiled dreamily but didn't look away from her contemplation of the heavens.

"Mmmm." Vala gave a deep sigh. "It is. But I'm glad that I'm here, with you. Really I am. I used to think that if I was stuck on any planet for longer than a few weeks I'd go mad, but I don't feel that here. I like it. I like feeling safe, Daniel, being part of a family. Even a slightly bananas family like the SGC. I still like running about the galaxy, but now I like coming home too."

Her eyes twinkled in the darkness, tiny diamonds of moisture on the ends of her lashes.

Daniel had nothing to say. He felt so full of emotion, and again, so humbled. He pulled Vala close to him and rested his cheek against her beautiful, raven hair. She laid her head on his shoulder. The sky was a much darker blue before they stood up and left the back garden to make their way home.

TBC...

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**Thanks for reading! More soon!**


	2. Just Say It!

Thank you to all of you awesome reviewers - you know who you are! It's wonderful to get your comments in my inbox - makes my day!

Sorry for the slight delay in posting this chapter - been a very busy week, here at Naquadah Mansions. Hope that you enjoy the new chapter.

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**Chapter 2 Just Say It!**

Daniel was up to something.

Mitchell had become slowly aware of Daniel's more-odd-than-usual secretiveness over the last few days.

The archaeologist spent even more time than usual shut up alone in his office – he told them all that he was just busy working but it didn't ring true to the Colonel. Daniel rarely shut the door to his office if he was inside – lately it was nearly always closed. Even Vala, who usually spent large chunks of her day helping him with his work, was banned now from entering. This had led to a huge and loud slanging match between the pair of them – one had slammed the door grumpily and the other had stormed off to vent her wrath on Mitchell and Teal'c.

Vala had only calmed down when the Jaffa managed to distract her by taking her into town for ice-cream and a trip to the cinema to watch a special showing of Disney's _The Little_ _Mermaid_. She came back singing 'Part of your world' and wanting to call forks 'dingle-hoppers'.

Mitchell suspected that she'd made up with Daniel later that evening, as he found them sitting together when he entered the mess hall the following morning.

"Hey," he greeted them, plonking his tray on the table and sitting down next to Vala.

"Hello darling," replied Vala, busy holding a bottle of maple syrup upside down and squirting it into her oatmeal. It looked like there was more syrup than oatmeal in the bowl, but the Colonel wisely didn't comment.

"Hi Mitchell." Jackson sipped his coffee. "Looking forward to meeting the President?"

Cam pulled a face. Being invited to a gathering between the President, the IOA and several assorted members of the military was not the Colonel's idea of a good time.

"Gotta be done," he told his friend glumly. "One of the perks of the job. Not."

Vala finished squirting. "I'll come with you," she looked across at Mitchell and licked her fingers where the syrup had caught them. "Jack says I'm great with politicians. Really he did."

"Hmmm – I'm not sure that sitting on the British Prime Minister's knee qualifies you to broker high brow meetings like this," Daniel told her bluntly.

Vala glared at him and hunched her shoulder. "That's just rude," she retorted, yanking her chair around to face away from him.

Daniel sighed. "Sorry. Really. I'm sorry, Vala." He stroked her arm. She tutted at him, but relaxed a little and started munching on her very sweet oatmeal. "Anyway…" the archaeologist's voice trailed off. "I need you to stay here."

Mitchell watched him, a slight crease between his brows. Was Jackson _blushing_? There was a faint red tint spreading across his cheekbones, which deepened as he saw Mitchell staring.

Vala munched on, oblivious.

There was a pause. Mitchell's mouth had dropped slightly open. He pushed his oatmeal-eating friend with his foot.

"I think that he's talking to you," he told her.

"F-wha-?" Vala asked, mouth full.

Daniel cleared his throat. "I'd like you to help me with something," he told her, still looking rather uncomfortable.

His beloved appeared not to notice as she spooned in another mouthful of her breakfast. "Alright," Vala licked a stray blob of syrup from the edge of her mouth.

Daniel couldn't look away. He swallowed again.

A proverbial light bulb came on in Mitchell's head. Jackson wanted to get Vala alone and ask her something! Of a personal nature! He'd bet his Grandma's macaroon recipe on it. His grin widened – Daniel caught his eye and frowned.

The Colonel raised his hands. "I'm out of here!" he told them, grabbing his coffee and beating a swift retreat from the cafeteria.

Vala, who had waited a long time for her archaeologist to eventually fall in love with her was now completely oblivious to his apparent discomfort, and picked up one of Mitchell's abandoned pancakes.

Daniel swallowed again. Oh heck – this was tough. "I know that the last few days, well, I've been kind of busy, but.."

"You've been boring Daniel," Vala told him, now drowning the unfortunate pancake in maple syrup.

"True, true, but I've been busy with something. Something important."

Vala shrugged. "Okay, darling. I forgive you. Is it Gou'ald? Do you want me to translate something for you?"

"No, no. Noooooooooooo." Daniel caught her hand in his swiftly. "It's something else. Something important. Really important." He was suddenly overcome with nerves. Kissing her swiftly on the cheek he struggled to his feet, tripped over Cameron's chair and legged it out of the mess hall.

Vala sat with a half-eaten pancake dripping syrup all over the table, completely befuddled.

- o - o - o - o -

Daniel sat in his office, door closed. He unlocked the top drawer on his desk and pulled it open, removing a large brown envelope, the contents of which he tipped out in front of himself. Two plane tickets, a hotel booking for two, entrance documents and luggage tags for a theme park. There was a smaller envelope inside – he shook out two passports. That had been a manoeuvre any black ops team would have been proud of – himself and Walter breaking into the alien's quarters to search secretly for her passport and spirit it away before they were busted.

Daniel pulled out a small red cashbox and opened it with a key from his keyring. Inside was a square, black, velvet-covered box – he flipped the lid and gazed wordlessly at the slender gold band topped with a small square diamond.

Oh crap! He stomach churned and he was sure that his face had turned green. Daniel had never been more terrified in his life – facing a horde of Gou'ald motherships and the massed Replicator army was nothing to this. He took off his spectacles, laid his head on the desk and shut his eyes.

Deep breaths Jackson, he told himself, deep breaths. After a few minutes he raised his head, put on his glasses and returned all of the items to where he had found them.

Courage man, he told himself. All you're going to do is take her to Paris and ask her to marry you.

Oh crap.

- o - o - o - o -

The woman of Daniel's dreams came skipping into his office about half an hour later, when he'd just about pulled himself back together into some semblance of sensibility. He pretended that he was concentrating on his work and kept speech to a minimum, although Vala blabbered on cheerfully about anything and everything which jumped into her head. Chocolate, ice cream, hair extensions, nail extensions, naquadah, roller skating, bouncy castles and Disney. Something about those princesses really appealed to the alien – probably all of the pink frilliness and sparkles.

Daniel stole a peek at her – she had her chin cupped on her hand, a faraway look in her eyes and was humming 'Under the Sea' quietly to herself.

He took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

"Sooooo…." He swallowed. "The end of next week – I mean, last week-end, at the barbeque – I should say, because of last week…"

Vala looked at him, completely confused now.

He stopped speaking.

"Wait – just wait. No!" he put his hand up when she went to open her mouth. "Just – just a minute."

He breathed in, breathed out, then started again.

"Last week-end at the barbeque I had an idea. I mean, we don't get a lot of time off. I mean, off the base. And we're both due some vacation – so I thought, I wondered – would you like to come away with me?"

Vala's face brightened. "Really? Proper holiday? Away somewhere? Just you and me?" She was on her way around the desk, eyes sparkling, lips curving up into a smile.

Daniel pulled her on to his knee where she sat and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Really Daniel? You'd take me on vacation? For being good? Because I have tried to be good haven't I? Ever since I've been back I've been good and it's getting a bit boring to be honest, the being good I mean, not the being back. Obviously. I mean I love being back. So it's a reward for not stealing anything? Or rather, not being caught stealing anything. I mean, I do have the keycard. Keycards. But they don't count, right?"

Daniel grinned against her lips as she honed in for a kiss. It took quite some time before either of them managed to disentangle themselves and the archaeologist could think clearly again.

"It's not for any reward," he told her, " I'm taking you away because I _want_ to take you away. I love you Vala, I don't need to think up any excuses to take my girlfriend away."

Her smile was dazzling and he caught his breath. Vala threw her arms around him again and planted a huge kiss on his mouth.

"I would love to go away with you on a vacation, really I would! It's ten times better than going on a normal date, isn't it? A hundred times better! Oh Daniel -." She hugged him tightly. " – let's go now! Can we go now?"

He chuckled and kissed the side of her neck. It was the only part of her he could reach with his mouth, apart from her mass of long black hair.

"No, we can't go now. I have tickets for next Saturday. Lots of tickets. For planes, and hotels and – and – other places. You'll have to wait."

She sat back up. "Alright." Her face was wreathed in a huge grin.

His heart swelled with happiness just looking at her.

"Can I tell Cameron and Teal'c? Can I tell Samantha if the _Hammond_ comes past in time?" She was bouncing.

His quadriceps were protesting. "You can tell Mitchell. I think he knows something's up anyway. And you can tell Teal'c. And Sam. But nobody else. Ok?"

"Ok!" she darted out of his office, turned, rushed back in and kissed him quickly then shot off again.

Daniel let out his breath with a whoosh. Well, that was the first part over with. Let's hope that she felt as happy about what he planned on giving her from the little jewellery box at the end of their time away.

He could hear her shouting from where he was sitting.

"Hey, Walter! Guess what? You'll never guess what!"

Daniel dropped his head to his chest, then smiled ruefully. He should have known. The whole of the SGC would know by lunchtime!

**TBC**


	3. We're Going On Vacation!

**Chapter 3 We're Going On Vacation!**

Vala was only gone for about five minutes before she appeared again, breathless, at the door of Daniel's office.

"Darling," she leaned against the doorframe, twirling her hair in her fingers. "Where are we actually _going_ next Saturday? Only everyone keeps asking and I don't know what to tell them."

"Everyone?" Daniel raised his eyebrows. "You mean, the everyone who isn't Mitchell and Teal'c?"

Vala smiled apologetically, wrinkling her nose in that adorable way that she has.

"I forgot," she whispered, coming and leaning on his desk. "I was rather excited. Where_are_ we going, darling?"

Daniel hadn't wanted to tell her, keeping the whole trip as a surprise. But now, watching her sweet face right in front of him, eyes sparkling with excitement, he relented. Knowing where they were off to wasn't going to spoil anything for his wacky, effervescent girlfriend, if anything it would only make her more elated. Could he cope with that? Daniel found himself grinning back loopily at her, like an idiot. Yes, he could cope. "I'm taking you to Paris," he told her.

Mouth open, eyes like saucers she clasped her hands in front of her. "The real Paris?" she whispered.

"The real Paris," he confirmed. "Eiffel Tower and everything. And there's more!" Daniel put his hands up as she made to grab at him.

Vala paused, hardly breathing.

"We're going to stay for a couple of nights in Disneyland Paris as well. At the Disneyland hotel. So you can see the parades and the shows and go on the rides…."

Vala dissolved into tears and threw herself onto his chest.

Daniel thought that it was probably happy crying which was confirmed when she eventually lifted her head and kissed him again and again, all over his cheeks and lips and nose.

"Disneyland!" Vala stammered, overcome. "Disneyland Paris! All those princesses! And the rides! And the castle – oh, the castle! Daniel, can we go into the castle? And the shops – there's shops everywhere – we can go into the shops! Oh thank you, thank you my darling Daniel! Thank you so much!" And she threw her arms around his neck again, head tucked over his shoulder.

Daniel held her close, wondering if she'd ever had a holiday _anywhere_ in her entire life, and aware not for the first time, of how little anyone had truly cared about her before she came to the SGC.

Eventually Vala sat up, cheeks damp but face glowing. "Can I tell Cameron and Teal'c?" she begged.

Daniel grinned. "Sure – you might as well tell Walter while you're at it."

"Thank you darling!" and she was off again, out of his door and down the hallway before he could even catch breath.

* * *

It was late in the evening before Vala eventually calmed down long enough to sit still for longer than about thirty seconds. The rumblings of hunger sent her in the direction of the mess hall, which was fairly empty. She glanced up at the clock on the wall – nearly nine thirty already.

No wonder I'm hungry, she thought to herself. Loading up her tray, Vala grabbed something to drink and headed for a table, where she sat and gradually chomped her way through some of the culinary delights which the SGC had to offer.

Daniel had gone home for the night – he'd muttered something about the electric and water being turned off if he didn't pay the bills soon. She didn't mind – this time next week – oooooh! She squee'd inwardly with happiness. This time next week she'd be packing for Paris. Without realising it, she began humming "Kiss the Girl" from "The Little Mermaid" quietly while eating her ice cream. She was interrupted from her daydreaming by Lieutenant Wells coming up to her.

"Hi!" he smiled. "Mind if I join you?"

"Oh of course," Vala nodded around her ice cream spoon.

Simon Wells sat down and picked up his knife and fork. "Did you enjoy the barbeque last weekend?" he asked her.

"Yes, it was fun," Vala nodded thoughtfully. "Some of your Tau'ri customs are very strange though – I'm still not sure that I understand the purpose of an egg and spoon race. And all that business where people have to find sweets in bowls of flour with their mouths – why is that? Why do you do that?"

Simon laughed.

"It's just for fun," he said. "Just for a laugh. And to get messy! The sign of a good party is that there's a lot of mess left behind afterwards."

The alien nodded thoughtfully. "I see." She spooned in another mouthful of ice cream. "Lots of mess."

The Lieutenant shook his head, grinning. "Don't worry about it – as long as you had a good time. Hey – thanks for keeping an eye on Damien, by the way."

"Oh, no problem!" Vala smiled. "He was quite a nice Earth child. I think that I rather liked him. How is he?"

Simon grimaced. "Not so good at the moment, actually. He came out with chicken pox the day after the barbeque."

There was a pause in the conversation.

"Oh."

Another small pause.

"You don't know what that is, do you?"

Vala shook her head. "Not a clue, darling."

Simon chuckled. "It's an illness which most people on this planet catch as children. You can get vaccinated against it as well. It's not usually serious. You end up covered in itchy spots for about a week or so though."

"Oh dear." Vala looked mildly alarmed. "Poor little mite. He'll be alright though, won't he?"

"Sure." Simon popped a mouthful of dinner into his mouth. "He's just cross, grumpy and itchy at the moment, poor fella."

"It sounds a bit like an illness on my planet called Zosterax. Big, scratchy red blisters – when you squeeze them all this green and yellow gunk comes out! Oh, sorry Simon! I forgot that you were eating!"

He grinned. "It's fine – I'm in the Air Force – nothing puts me off my dinner."

Vala giggled. "Well, I'm done." She eyed her empty ice cream dish morosely, but decided that two helpings was enough for one meal time. "See you later, I expect. Oh – did you know that Daniel's taking me to Paris next weekend?"

"I did indeed. So does the rest of the SGC!"

She wrinkled her nose adorably and grinned. "Oh well – you all would have found out sooner or later anyway. Bye!"

And she danced away out of the cafeteria, heading for her own quarters.

Simon chuckled, shook his head and went back to his dinner.

**TBC...**


	4. Dr Lam's Discovery

**Chapter 4** **Doctor Lam's Discovery**

The week crawled by very, very slowly from Vala's point of view.

Cameron and Teal'c had both been off base over the week-end, leaving Daniel to face the over-excited machinations of his girlfriend alone. He'd lasted until Saturday lunchtime by which time he was seriously regretting having told her _anything_ about what was going to happen at the end of the following week. He therefore abandoned his office and whisked her away into town to go bowling then swimming followed by a long, long, lo-o-o-o-ong walk in the local park. Anything to try and wear her out. They'd rolled back into the SGC at about eight in the evening where Daniel had marched Vala straight to the mess hall to fill her up with the finest culinary fare that the catering department could offer. By the time they'd finished eating neither one of them had enough energy to do more than veg out in front of the little TV in Daniel's office watching dodgy programmes about storage bins and ancient quiz shows.

Vala fell asleep on the couch. It was five in the morning before she came creeping back to her own quarters to find Daniel asleep in her bed. Snuggling up next to him, she heard him murmur something under his breath but he didn't rouse fully and eventually she fell asleep again.

Daniel managed to cope with Sunday by telling her that as they were working all week she ought to start thinking about packing – Vala was out of his office before he could blink, and when he peeped in to her quarters after lunch the bed was covered with shoes and tops and negligees and – were they pink handcuffs? He decided not to comment, kissed her briefly and sped off again before she became too distracted.

And so it was Monday, then Tuesday, then very slowly Wednesday crept past as well. Thursday morning saw SG-1 waving Cameron off to meet with the President. Daniel, Teal'c and Vala went up to the conference room straight afterwards to discuss a future mission they were planning out to the planet Kallios Lucem. A type of crystal was mined there which the Lucian Alliance were busy trying to steal and combine with Naquadria to make weapons. Jonas Quinn had contacted them previously with information about these dealings.

Vala generally found it fairly difficult to keep interested for the entire span of a briefing but today she could barely keep her eyes open. It felt warm in the conference room – she started off with her elbows leaning on the table and gradually her head became heavier as the slipped lower and lower. Eventually she had her head on her arms with her eyes closed.

General Landry talked on for several minutes before his sudden "Ms Mal Doran!" exploded across the room and caused her to shoot up in her chair, eyes wide and brain scrambling around to keep track of what was happening.

"Are we keeping you up?" the General asked, glaring from under his eyebrows.

"Oh, no sir," Vala shook her head vigorously, on her best behaviour. "Daniel wore me out over the week-end and I haven't recovered yet."

The archaeologist glared at her.

"What?" she asked him.

He shook his head.

"Anyway –." Landry carried on. "Regardless of how you spend your time off duty, shall we all get back on track here? Unless you still want to be in this meeting instead of going to Paris, that is?"

"Oh!" Vala bounced in her chair. "Did you know that we're going to Paris on Saturday? How on earth did you find out?"

The General paused for a beat, face expressionless.

"You told me, Ms Mal Doran. At least three times."

She beamed unrepentantly, swinging her chair from side to side. "Oooops!"

"So – eyes down, SG-1." Landry pointed an accusatory finger at the alien. "Or I'm cancelling _everyones'_ leave for the next month!"

Vala looked horrified. She sat straight in her chair, arms crossed, finger on lips.

Daniel smirked, catching Landry's eye.

"Shall we?" the General said, lifting his mission notes again.

The ex-space pirate nodded furiously, and the meeting carried on.

The briefing only lasted another twenty minutes but even so Vala was fighting a losing battle with her eyelids again by the end. She dragged herself to her feet and shuffled out after Daniel, who after a few moments glanced back at her.

"You okay?" he asked, squeezing her hand briefly.

"Oh yes, I'm just tired. I think I'm just over-excited, it's rather hard to sleep at the moment."

Dr Jackson frowned, concerned. "Not because of nightmares though, right?"

"Oh no, not those," Vala grinned up at him, leaning in for a kiss. "The nightmares are nearly all gone now, thank you."

"Okay." Daniel leaned his forehead against hers. "Well, I have plenty of work to do before Saturday. You feel like helping?"

"Later maybe. I might have just a little snooze first."

"Okay," he repeated. "Meet you for supper?"

"Mmm-hmm." Vala went strolling away towards the elevators. She let rip with a massive sneeze part way down the corridor, followed swiftly by another two 'whoosh'es'. "Bless me!" she shouted back to him, giggling.

"Bless you!" Daniel acknowledged and went off in the opposite direction.

* * *

Vala slept until well into the afternoon. When she awoke she headed off to the cafeteria, surprisingly not hungry. She stood in the queue, wrinkling her nose, in the end just taking a slushy and a bottle of water, both of which she downed pretty quickly.

Dr Lam came in and sat down across the table from her. "Excited?" she asked, pulling in her chair.

"Oh yes," Vala nodded. She went to say something else but sneezed hugely.

Carolyn passed her a napkin.

"Thanks." The alien sneezed again.

"You're not coming down with a cold, I hope," the doctor said, popping a square of carrot into her mouth.

"No!" Vala stated, vehemently. "I won't allow it! I won't let my body have anything as pathetic as a cold to be wrong with it right now! I'm not going to sneeze all over Paris – or all over Disneyland. Or all over the plane. It's a long plane journey, Daniel says. That's why he's bought tickets for a night flight, so I don't get too bored. Anyone would think I get bored easily." She let rip with another massive sneeze.

"Take some vitamin C," suggested Carolyn. "if you are coming down with anything, it'll really help boost your immune system. Run by the infirmary later and I'll give you a bottle."

"Okay," Vala scratched her head vigorously. "Well, I'd better go and see what Daniel's up to. Teal'c is planning to meet up with Jonas next week – I like Jonas, do you? It's a shame we'll miss him." She stood up and sneezed again.

Carolyn passed her the last of the napkins. "Vitamin C," she instructed her. "My office. Before the end of your shift."

"I will," Vala smiled, wandering off slowly. She exited the cafeteria. A huge "Atishoo!" flew back in through the doorway.

"Vitamin C!" Carolyn shouted, loudly, after her.

* * *

Carolyn was pleasantly surprised when Vala wandered into her office a couple of hours later. The alien plopped heavily onto one of the beds, rubbing her hair absent mindedly, which was uncharacteristically scruffy.

"Curling tongs broken?" the doctor asked conversationally, unlocking the medicine cupboard.

"What? Oh, no. I did my hair this morning. I looked nice this morning, really I did, I don't know what's happened to it. It feels strange – my head, I mean. The outside, I mean, not the inside."

"Strange?" Carolyn queried, pulling a box of vitamins from one of the shelves.

"Mmmm. Itchy. Like I haven't washed it in days. But I did. This morning. It hurt when I washed it." Vala scratched absent mindedly at her chest as she looked around the infirmary, already bored.

"It hurt?" the pretty doctor frowned.

"Mmmm. You know – like if you scratch something too much and it stings." As if to prove her point, Vala rubbed furiously with both hands on her head again. Suddenly distracted by a copy of 'Chat Weekly' which lay abandoned on the table, she hopped off of her bed, grabbed it and hopped back on, flicking through the pages.

Carolyn moved closer, observing her friend intently, who spent the whole time scraping half heartedly at her chest, then her shoulder, then her head again, as she read the magazine. The doctor slowly pulled out a thermometer and popped it into Vala's mouth.

"Whach oooh doin?" the alien asked, around the small stick.

"Just observations," Carolyn replied. "do you feel hot at all?"

"Mmmm." Vala looked at the doctor apprehensively.

Carolyn had her fingers on her friend's pulse. She observed Vala for the entire time, as she counted the beats. The alien looked tired, and her cheeks were slightly flushed, but nothing excessive. She felt under Vala's chin, and her armpits – swollen glands. The doctor pondered. She took out the thermometer. 100 degrees Farenheit. Hmmm. Not excessively high, but…

Carolyn picked up an observation chart and noted down the results. When she looked back Vala was picking at a large spot close to her hairline. There was another smaller one under her chin. Crusty, red, scabby. One by her ear looked more like a small….oh dear.

"Lift your top up please," Carolyn instructed.

"Why?" Vala was looking worried now.

So was the doctor. "Just do it."

The alien slowly took off her black long sleeved T-shirt. Her chest had about twenty large, fluid filled blister-like spots spread across it. Her back had more. A few of them had already crusted over.

"Oh Vala," Carolyn sighed, and unexpectedly pulled her friend into a hug. "You have Chicken Pox!"

**TBC.**

* * *

You knew it though, right? Poor Vala! Poor Daniel! Poor Disneyland Paris!...


	5. Team Players

**I know, I know - before you all start on me - this is the third story in a row where I've broken the beautiful Vala doll whilst playing with her! All I can do is apologise - it had to happen! I promise to mend her really well though, and put her away safely until next time. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 5 Team Players.**

Daniel thought that he had never been prouder of Vala in his life.

She'd been heartbroken when he turned up in the infirmary on the previous Friday, weeping gently in his arms for most of the evening.

Daniel had whispered over and over that it was alright, they'd just postpone it, they could go another time. It wasn't the same though, and they both knew it. She'd been so looking forward to the trip, they both had. For different reasons. The archaeologist sighed. He'd either have to wait until they had time for another Paris trip, or think of another way to pop the question. The curse of the Chicken Pox had scuppered everything.

By the time he'd left the infirmary at about midnight on Friday Vala's spots had doubled. She was asleep before he crept off to spend the night in his office, thinking that he was in for some seriously high-maintenance on his girlfriend, but when he came back the next morning he was amazed.

Vala didn't mention the lost vacation once. She took painkillers, and splashed on calamine, and drank what she was told to. She chatted cheerfully, and read the magazines that Daniel brought for her, and played games on her I-pad. She'd been stuck in the isolation ward, so she had no view of what was going on in the ward, and no other patients' to talk to, but she was as good as gold.

Privately, Vala wanted to cry and cry and cry. Being part of the SGC had taught her to be a team player however – she realised that she wasn't the only one who was upset, Daniel was too, and to act like a spoiled little diva wouldn't do anybody any good. So she did what she was well practiced at, and hid how she really felt, for the benefit of someone else. And although they both knew that they were each hiding their massive disappointment, they coped with it together.

By the time that Monday arrived she was a much sorrier looking Vala. Although she had just a few spots on her face and neck, her back and front were almost totally covered in large, angry-looking, red scabs. They spread down her legs and across her arms – they'd even appeared inside her mouth and down her throat, which by now was so sore that she could hardly speak. Her glands were swollen and uncomfortable – she looked in such a mess, covered in white calamine lotion and with her hair all stuck up and matted but she still managed a little smile when Mitchell came tip-toeing in, back form Washington.

"Hey Princess," he whispered, stroking her hand before wiping dried calamine off down his jeans.

Vala wiggled her fingers in a half-hearted wave but didn't speak. Everything in her vocal area was too sore.

Mitchell handed her several new magazines and a strange thing which looked like a large splodge of chocolate with a spoon sticking out of it.

Vala raised her eyebrows at him.

"It's drinking chocolate," Mitchell told her. "You stir it into hot milk, it melts and there ya go. Seeing as how you love your chocolate, I thought that this might help. Jackson called and told me your throat was pretty sore."

Vala smiled, eyeing the odd but thoughtful present interestedly. She tapped the orange giraffe, who had joined her in the infirmary, on the nose with it.

"Welcome back, Colonel Mitchell," said Dr Lam, appearing with some more calamine and a thermometer.

"Hey," Cam felt a goofy smile spreading across his face. He caught Vala watching and cleared his throat.

The alien nudged him.

"Shut up!" he whispered.

"What's that?" Carolyn asked, looking across at him.

"Nothing, nothing." Mitchell could feel a blush creeping up his neck. "Right – I gotta briefing, later ladies."

He leaned in and kissed a tiny area of Vala's forehead which had escaped being swamped in calamine. "Get well soon, Princess."

She squeezed Mitchell's hand before he sidled away. He looked back as he reached the door, managing to almost collide with Daniel, who was heading in the other direction.

"Hey Mitchell," said his team mate. "How was Washington?"

"Ugh – okay, I guess." Cam folded his arms. "At least the IOA acted pretty low key this time – General O'Neill throwing his quips in probably helped out some."

"Jack was there? He okay?"

"Yeah, he's good. I think everyone apart from SG-1 is scared of him. Heck, sometimes even I'm scared of him!"

Daniel grinned. "Well, I'd better get in there," he nodded towards the infirmary. "You've seen her?"

"Vala? Yeah, not for long though. Dr Lam's painting her with calamine again." Mitchell paused. "Sorry about your trip, Jackson."

The other man shrugged. "Can't be helped. One of those things. Paris'll still be there in a few months."

The Colonel nodded. "Yeah, I guess. Well, see you later Jackson." He headed off towards the changing rooms.

Daniel sighed softly, then made his way towards the isolation room.

Sure enough, Vala was wearing enough calamine to give the impression of having been dunked in a vat of white paint.

Carolyn was just removing the thermometer from the alien's mouth. "Not bad," she smiled. "99.5 degrees. Coming down. Your glands are still up but I think they'll be improving in a day or so. How's your throat?"

Vala pulled a face.

Carolyn nodded sympathetically, patting her friend's shoulder gently. "It'll pass soon," she told her, handing over a dose of paracetamol. "You're doing really well. Isn't she Dr Jackson?"

Daniel nodded. The archaeologist felt a little choked up, humbled by how strong his girlfriend was being.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone." Dr Lam moved away, back into the main ward. She called back over her shoulder. "Make sure that you're drinking plenty!"

Vala rolled her eyes.

"Heard that a lot by now, huh?" said Daniel.

She nodded, wrinkling her nose.

The archaeologist kissed a different part of her un-calamined face from Mitchell. "You want to play poker?" he asked.

A little smile began at the edges of her mouth. "How much money have you got?" she whispered.

* * *

It was now Wednesday afternoon. Vala remained in the infirmary, still spotty, but beginning to feel a whole lot better. She'd managed to get into the shower earlier and wash off the calamine that had turned her into a banshee-haired snowman for most of the week. Carolyn had slapped another load on when she'd come back out, but in much less quantities – nearly all of the itching had stopped, even if the poor alien did look like a dot-to-dot picture.

Daniel nipped in on his way down to the cafeteria to find Vala fast asleep, spread-eagled on her front across the bed, beautifully clean hair now laying in waves across her back. The orange giraffe was partly obscured by it's owner's raven tresses – Dr Jackson gently tugged him out and tucked him inside the crook of Vala's arm. She might be looking cleaner, but the little stuffed fellow displayed some conspicuous and large white blotches all over his plump body.

Carolyn came quietly out of her office. "She's doing well," she said quietly. "Temperature's normal, she's eating a little and drinking plenty. Her throat's looking better too. She'll be chasing you around again before you know it."

Daniel nodded, smiling again, but wistfully.

Carolyn squeezed his arm gently. "Paris isn't going anywhere you know," she told him.

"I know. It's just – it was all planned out." He blushed faintly, but not un-noticed by the doctor. "It was going to be special."

"I'm sorry, Daniel," Carolyn told him sympathetically. She left him alone.

The archaeologist sighed, stroked Vala's hair carefully then headed down to the cafeteria for supper.

Daniel was busy munching his way through his meatloaf when Lt Wells entered the mess hall and, spotting the doctor, headed over towards him. His face was apologetic.

"Hey," he sat down across the table. "I'm so sorry about your trip to Paris. I feel it's all my fault."

"Your fault?" Daniel looked confused. "How is it your fault?"

"Chicken Pox! Vala must have caught it from Damien at the barbeque. Marci and I feel partly responsible."

Daniel shook his head. "It can't be helped, really. Please don't blame yourself. Yeah, it's a shame, it really is, but like everyone keeps reminding me, Paris isn't going anywhere. At least I hope not! And none of us were to know that she hadn't had Chicken Pox. Or anything like it, which may have given her immunity."

"She mentioned some disease that they all catch on her planet – I guess it was different enough not to protect her fully on Earth though."

"I guess." Daniel sighed again without realising, and returned to his meat loaf. What he really wanted to do was stand on his chair and yell that he was gutted not to be in Paris right now, he didn't care that it was still going to be stuck in the middle of France for the foreseeable future, he wanted to be there NOW! With Vala, proposing marriage to her. He thought of the ring, back in his office, and sighed again.

Lt Wells felt bad. He munched in silence for a while before the inkling of an idea came to him.

"Dr Jackson…." He began slowly. "What if you brought Disneyland Paris to Vala?"

Daniel looked up, his attention caught.

"I mean, you'd have to ask Dr Lam…" continued Wells.

"You're a genius!" Daniel was on his feet, eyes bright. "Wells, you're an absolute genius!"

The archaeologist, dinner abandoned, ran from the cafeteria, a huge grin spreading across his face. Disneyland was going to come to the SGC, or so help him he'd die in the attempt!

******TBC...**


	6. It's A Secret

**Chapter 6 ****It's A Secret.**

Thursday morning found Daniel busy up to something quite unusual in his office. He was interrupted by the zinging sound of a transport beam, which deposited Colonel Samantha Carter into the middle of the room.

"Hi Sam," he waved vaguely. People coming and going by transport beam had become integrated into his normal life years ago. "_Hammond_ back in town?"

"Only for a day or so," Sam hugged him briefly. "What are you up to?"

"It's for Vala." He scribbled something down onto a pad quickly. "She's in the infirmary."

"Injured?" Sam looked alarmed. He shook his head.

"Nope, Chicken Pox."

"Oh no – poor thing!" the Colonel thought back to her own experience with the disease as a child. Scratch, scratch, scratch. "Where did she catch that? Is she okay?"

"She caught it at the SGC barbeque, of all places. And yes, she's much better now, thanks. She resembled something that you might find through an uncharted Stargate for a few days, but she's looking more human again now. The thing is…." Daniel's voice trailed away.

Sam frowned. "The thing is – what?" she prompted.

"We were supposed to be in Paris." He pulled a face. "Last Saturday we were due to fly to Paris for a vacation, then go on to Disneyland over there." Daniel paused, unsure of whether to tell her the other reason for the holiday. "I – was going to – I wanted – ."

Sam was watching him intently. "Yesssss…?"

Daniel took a deep breath. "I was going to propose!" There, he'd told someone.

Sam grinned hugely. "About time!" she told him.

Daniel smiled ruefully. "Not too much of a secret then? How I feel about her?"

"How you _both_ feel about each other, more like!" Sam came over and hugged him tightly. "You've got me for twenty four hours, Dr Jackson, you want some help?"

He looked down at his list of scribbles, and the various articles that were piling up in his office, courtesy of the kindness of other members of the SGC.

"Yep," he nodded vigorously. "Sam – I most certainly do!"

- o - o - o -

Vala was scrubbing the orange giraffe in a washing up bowl which one of the nurse's had managed to get hold of for her, when Teal'c entered the SGC about an hour later.

"ValaMalDoran," he bowed slightly, acknowledging the state of the stuffed toy with a wry look.

"Hello Muscles," she smiled up at him.

The Jaffa wondered whether Dr Lam knew that the alien was using a huge bottle of surgical soap and a wad of gauze swabs to wash the giraffe, but wisely decided not to comment. "DanielJackson is unable to visit this afternoon, he is…otherwise engaged. He sends his apologies." Teal'c informed her.

Vala rolled her eyes. "Has one of the other teams come back with some boring old relic that he wants to play with?" she asked, now wielding her own toothbrush on the unfortunate cuddly toy.

"Something like that," replied Teal'c, thinking that the archaeologist's office being rapidly filled with numerous donated objects from their friends and acquaintances wasn't strictly speaking too far from the truth. "He has instructed me to attend to your wishes this morning."

"Lovely darling," Vala handed him the toothbrush. "This is making my hand ache – could you take over for a while? Please?" She flashed him one of her winning smiles.

The Jaffa raised one eyebrow, taking the offered implement gingerly before beginning to scrub at the dried calamine adorning the toy.

His alien comrade leaned her chin on her hand and watched him. A friendly silence extended between the two for a while.

"Thank you," whispered Vala eventually. "For coming to visit. And for helping." She paused. "We were meant to be in Paris now." A tiny sigh. She dropped her head down onto her crossed arms.

Teal'c dropped the toothbrush into the bowl and placed the giraffe carefully onto a towel.

"All things happen as they are meant to, ValaMalDoran," he told her. "Although your and Dr Jackson's plans were to be in the city of Paris now, it is not what the universe decreed was right for you at this time. Another path is laid before you."

Vala lifted her head, frowning. "Is this meant to be making me feel better?" she asked.

The Jaffa smiled slightly. "Just because something does not make you feel better, does not mean it is not right. Many unpleasant things happen during one's lifetime, but all experiences lead on to something which is worth having in the end."

There was silence for a moment.

"Like us?" asked Vala, softly.

He bowed. "Like us. You and I in particular have endured many strange and unpleasant things during our lives – and would you have played it any differently? If you had known that eventually those experiences would bring you here, to the SGC?"

The ex-space pirate/smuggler/thief/Gou'ald host covered her eyes with her hands. She shook her head. "No," she sobbed quietly. " I would have done it all again, if it meant that I was here with Daniel. And all of you."

"Then do not despair, ValaMalDoran." Teal'c showed his warm, honest smile. "As everyone here keeps telling DanielJackson – Paris will still be there in a few months time. You will be able to visit it in the future."

His team mate nodded, wiping her eyes. "Thanks, Muscles." She beckoned him closer and when he obliged, kissed him quickly on the cheek.

"I must go," he told her. "ColonelCarter has…"

"Samantha? Samantha's here?" Vala's face broke into a huge smile.

Almost on cue, the blonde officer came waltzing into the isolation room.

The Chicken-Poxed alien leapt off of the bed and threw her arms around her friend.

"Hey!" Sam hugged her back, laughing. "Good to see you too! How are the spots?"

"Ugh!" Vala pulled away and twirled in front of her. "Shocking! But not as bad as they were. At least my hair doesn't look like a kumquat any more."

"A kumquat?" Sam looked confused.

"Yes – the hairy thing that lives in the woods. In Britain. Or maybe Colombia."

"You mean – the Sasquatch?" Sam giggled. "From British Columbia?"

"That's him." Vala nodded. "Kumquat – Sasquatch, they're both similar sorts of words, aren't they?"

In the madcap alien's universe, probably, thought the Colonel, but not in anybody else's!

"Anyway," Sam patted the Jaffa on the shoulder. "Daniel needs you, Teal'c. That – large thing – he's not sure how to put it together. The flat large thing – you know?"

"What thing? I could help him if he brings it here," Vala suggested.

"No!" her friends' both spoke together.

Sam hugged her. "It's – something to do with – Chulak," she finished. Lord forgive me for lying, she thought to herself.

"Oh. Okay." Vala shrugged. "Can you stay with me for a while then?"

"That's why I'm here," Samantha nodded towards the soapy bowl, as Teal'c bowed and bid them farewell. "Giraffe catch Chicken Pox too?"

Carter hung around until lunch time, when Mitchell came by to take over in alien entertainment. He brought a large box of cookies and several plastic spoons stuck into different bucket-shaped splodges of chocolate.

Vala's face lit up when she saw them. "Oooh – that other one which you gave me was lovely! Are they the same?"

"Different flavors," Mitchell told her. "Not just plain old chocolate. Mint choc, strawberry choc, orange choc and – I forget the other one."

"Vanilla chocolate," read Vala, looking at the label. "Shall we each have one now?"

The Colonel shook his head. "No thanks. Wouldn't mix well with that stew that I've just had to endure down in the mess hall. Maybe later thanks, Princess. How ya feeling?"

Vala nodded, mouth full of cookie. "Good thank you Cameron." She swallowed, and complained with a little frown. "Although I'm getting a little bit fed up of the spots. They are _so_ not sexy or fashionable."

"Never mind, Princess, the worst is over." Mitchell leaned back in his chair. "Flip that TV on and let's see what's happening in the world of Hollywood!"

- o - o - o -

If Vala had been operating at one hundred percent she would probably have worked out that at no point during the day was she left to her own devices. Almost as if her friends' didn't want her to get too distracted or bored. Or to wonder too much why Daniel was suspiciously absent.

The archaeologist had rung her on her cell phone earlier and palmed her off with some excuse about having a deadline to adhere to, and the checking over of a difficult translation.

She'd bought it, although she complained about being fed up, and having a headache and not being able to find her sparkly slippers with the bows.

Daniel felt mildly remorseful as he eyed the afore-mentioned slippers where they sat drying on his desk. It had taken a good twenty minutes to wash the calamine off of them. He told her that he'd visit her that evening, and distracted her by talking about Sam and Mitchell, and asking what they'd been talking about together. So off she went again, chattering away about chocolate and TV, until he eventually managed to break in on the verbal barrage and end the conversation.

He breathed out heavily and took off his glasses.

Mitchell looked up from where he was sat on the couch, cutting out pink and silver streamers from crepe paper and silver foil. "She okay?" he asked.

Daniel nodded. "Yep." He put his spectacles back on and glanced at his watch. "Six thirty. I reckon we've got another couple of hours before I'll have to go and see her. You're sure that Carolyn's okay with this?"

Mitchell grinned, reaching across to grab a glitter shaker. "Took a bit of sweet talking but I managed to bring her round. She says that she's only countenancing it because she'd already prescribed the sleeping tablets, and because Vala's still an in-patient and so technically could still require them."

Daniel nodded, again, feeling mild pangs of guilt. He shook them off, knowing that although he might feel bad now, the end result was going to be worth it all. For both of them. He hoped.

**TBC...**

**One more chapter to go! Thanks for sticking with the story, and for all of the great reviews!**


	7. Chapter 7 Happy Ever After

**Chapter 7 Happy Ever After.**

The isolation room was quiet and dark. The clock up on the wall said 00.15. Several shadowy figures crept around in the gloom, moving objects and tweaking decorations. The hangings on the wall twinkled and shimmered in the gentle glow of the nightlights. There was something big leaning up against the wall underneath the observation window. One of the darkened figures bumped against it and mumbled a curse. Another of the shadows' giggled.

"Ssssh!" ordered another dark shape. It peeped over the top of a set of ward screens which had been set up around the bed so that the occupant could not see what was happening should she awaken.

Unlikely, thought the leader of the shadows. A large hot chocolate laced with one of Dr Lam's sleeping pills had worked exactly as it was supposed to.

Vala was snuggled up fast asleep under the blankets. Mitchell knocking down a lampstand hadn't caused her to even turn over.

The largest shadow drew closer and bowed slightly to the smaller one. "I believe that all is in readiness for when ValaMalDoran awakens," he told the head shadow.

"Thanks Teal'c." he nodded, pleased with what he saw. "If you can just help me lift the chairs close to the bed before you go?"

The Teal'c-shaped phantom bowed again. "Of course."

They carefully lifted the two chairs as close to Vala's bed as possible, so that Daniel could have a makeshift bed for the rest of the night. One of the nurses', in on their plan, had strategically left a pile of blankets close by.

Another shadow, who seemed to have more of a silver glow around her head than the others, peeped around the screen. "I think that we're pretty much done out here," she whispered.

"Okay Sam," the chief shadow acknowledged. "Thanks. Where are Mitchell and Carolyn?"

"Around here somewhere," murmured Sam, looking over her shoulder.

One large shadow over in the corner quickly separated into two. Dr Lam, blushing furiously, was extremely pleased that the lights were all off.

Cameron chuckled quietly.

"That's it then." Daniel rubbed his hands together. "Wish me luck, guys. Please." The last word was almost a plea.

Teal'c gently placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Good luck, DanielJackson," he told him. "However it is my belief that you will not need it."

"He's right!" Sam agreed. "Good luck though. See you in the morning."

Then they all slipped away, leaving the nervous Prince to wait for his Princess to wake up.

It would be distinctly untruthful to say that Daniel enjoyed a good night's sleep. In fact, he wondered why he even bothered to try closing his eyes at all – he was so nervous that all he managed were a couple of snatched half-hours of snoozing. By 05.45 on the SGC clock he was awake, wishing that he had a coffee, or a large whisky, or both. 06.00 crawled past slowly, then 06.15. The archaeologist began to sweat. If he left it much later the day shift would be turning up. There was no way that he was going to propose in front of the entire medical populace and inhabitants of the infirmary. He'd have to wake her.

"Why are you sitting in that chair?" Vala's voice broke in on his thoughts. She was leaning up on one elbow watching him, puzzled.

"Hey!" his heart jumped and skittered. "How are you? I mean, good morning! How are you?"

"You said 'how are you' twice," she told him, frowning. "Am I in trouble again?"

Daniel smiled and shook his head. He gave Vala a swift kiss on the lips.

"What then?" she sat up in bed.

"Stay there!" he ordered. "Wait a minute. And close your eyes!"

"Why?" Vala was craning her neck, trying to look over the top of the screen.

"Don't!" The archaeologist went into panic-mode.

His beloved looked genuinely startled.

Daniel smiled slightly. "Just – wait. And close your eyes. Please."

Vala nodded, and put her hands over her face, pressing her eyelids shut with her fingers. Otherwise the urge to peep out might have been too strong. She could hear rustling and something scraped across the floor. There was a sudden tinkling from behind the screen. What _was_ he doing out there? The lamp next to her bed came on and she was aware of the screen being pushed away.

"Okay." Daniel took a deep breath. "Now you can look."

Vala was suddenly nervous. What was out there? Slowly, very slowly, she opened her eyes. She gasped.

The walls of the isolation ward were covered in silver and pink streamers. Huge pink rosettes held more long, shiny ribbons in place. Pale pink netting, festooned with sequins, tiny gems and rosebuds was draped around the windows from the viewing room, and hung in swathes behind her bed. Close to the wall below the viewing area was the huge, cardboard, vivid pink Princess castle that had been at the SGC barbeque. It's door and windows were propped open – inside Vala could see pink and white sofa cushions on the floor, with rose petals scattered across them. The rose petals extended across the floor to a chair which had a beautiful, vivid pink, party dress lying across it. It's spaghetti straps were silvered with tiny beads which were worked in elsewhere, depicting delicate swirls and rosettes on the fabric. Her sparkly slippers were placed alongside the chair, with a tiny, hair-slide tiara which shone like diamonds in the light.

Daniel flicked the overhead light on, a row of prisms had been hung underneath, ably performed by a certain Jaffa on a stepladder. At once, the isolation room was turned into a giant rainbow – the spectrum of colors danced and swirled across the walls and ceiling.

Vala was struck dumb. Her face was leaking – she could feel the tears tracking slowly down her cheeks. She had no words to say – not even one. Slipping off of the bed Vala moved slowly around the room. She touched the gauze and ran her hands along the streamers. On top of her locker was a pretty little dish full of pink, heart shaped candies – she popped one into her mouth, wiping her face with her hands. She moved on to the beautiful dress, which she held against herself, swirling gently from side to side.

"Do you want to put it on?" Daniel asked quietly, from where he was sat inside the Princess castle.

Vala didn't say a word, but slipped her top off quickly and stepped into the dress, dropping her pajama bottoms next. The zipper was under her right arm, she slipped it up, aware that tears were beginning to drop off of the end of her nose.

How romantic, she thought to herself, searching for a tissue. Grabbing one from a dressings trolley nearby, Vala blew her nose loudly. She ran her fingers through her hair, before tucking the little tiara into it.

"Come here." Daniel held his hand out to her. He had the makings of a speech written out in his pocket which he'd tried to memorise last night but now he couldn't manage to make his voice work properly. The Gou'ald, the Ori, the Ancients – none of the above had made him feel as nervous as he did at this moment. Heaven help him – he was like a teenager on a first date.

Vala took his hand and he pulled her gently into the castle, down onto the cushions. Her eyes were huge and sheened with silver – she was the most beautiful creature that he'd ever seen in his entire life. Daniel cleared his throat. No point beating about the bush. Might as well just take the plunge and jump right in. He wasn't much good with flowery speeches anyway. Lifting his hand, he stroked Vala's face gently, very gently. He pushed her hair back over her shoulder. He looked deep into her eyes, blue on grey, azure on moonlight. Now or never. Now or never.

"Please," Daniel whispered. "Please will you marry me?"

Vala's eyes widened in shock. The alien thought that her heart had stopped beating. She didn't believe what she'd just heard. Had Daniel really just said that? A hopeful little smile pulled at her lips.

"Say it again?" she asked. "Did you say – I thought you said..."

"I did. I did." Daniel took hold of her other hand too. "Will you marry me? Please?"

Vala dragged her hands from his, clapped them to her mouth and sprung up onto her heels, crouching in front of him.

"Oh!" Then, before he could blink, she was on top of him, arms around his neck, kissing and kissing him. Daniel swung around so that she was underneath himself – it was a good minute or two before either of them remembered that they needed oxygen to breathe. Daniel pushed back a little, breathing heavily. Vala held his face in both of her hands. The look on her face was one of absolute contentment and extreme happiness.

"So?" asked the archaeologist.

"So what?" she replied.

"What's your answer?"

The biggest and most beautiful smile that his wacky and much-loved girlfriend had ever given him in his life spread across her face.

"Yes, darling," Vala told him, kissing him soundly. "Yes, yes, without a doubt, yes – absolutely yes!"

- o - o - o -

Carolyn came quietly into the isolation room about twenty minutes later. Two pairs of feet were sticking out of the doorway in the Princess castle, and she could hear whispering and giggling from within. Ducking down, she found the two newly-betrothed SGC members entwined in each others arms and spread-eagled across the cushions.

"Hello Carolyn!" Vala said, making no move to get up. "Do you like my ring?"

She waggled her left hand at the doctor, showing off the charming square diamond.

"It's beautiful." Dr Lam grinned at Daniel, who also made no attempt to move off of the cushions. He waved vaguely at her.

"How long can we keep the isolation ward as an extension of Disneyland?" he asked.

"At least today," Carolyn smiled back at him. "You won't need it any longer – Vala can be discharged tomorrow. No going through the Stargate until your spots are all gone though."

The alien nodded, only half listening. She was watching how her ring caught the light within the stone and made it sparkle.

"Well, I'll leave you to it." Carolyn stood up and went off into her office.

Daniel pushed the door of the castle shut with his foot, then sat up briefly and closed the windows. His fiancée giggled.

"Now," said the archaeologist, a lazy smile spreading across his face as he lay back down beside her. "What was that you were saying?"

**THE END!**

**Thank you to all of you who have read and reviewed this story! I loved writing it :-) And don't worry - I really do intend to send Vala and Daniel to Disneyland one day!**

**Massive thanks to the Person who checks this drivel before it goes live. You know who you are. :-)**


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